Indicator for lamp-founts.



No. 672,!78. Patented Apr. I6, |90lr W. A. PENFIELD.

A ...JNDmAIB-EDB'LLAMP FOUNTS.

(Application led July 16', 1900;)

um nodal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. PENFIELD, oE MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, AssIeNoR To THE BRADLEY a IIIIBBARD MEG. Co., oF SAME PLACE.

INDICATOR FOR LAM P-FOU NTS.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,178, dated April 16, 1901.

Application filed July 16, 1900.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. PENEIELD, of Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Indicators for Lamp-Founts; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the numerals of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this speciiication, and represent, in

Figure 1, a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a lamp-fount provided with my improved indicator; Fig. 2, a detached plan View of the indicator-cap; Fig. 3, a reverse View thereof; Fig. 4, a detached View of the indicator-cap,the segment,with its index, the arm connected with the segment, and the float.

My invention relates to an improvementin indicators for lamp-founts, the object being to provide lamp-founts with simpleand reliable means for indicating the amount of oil in the fount at any time, and particularly when the lamp is being filled.

With these ends in View my invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown I employ a circular sheet-metal cap 2, the top of which is concaved or dished to form a coucavity 3, containing in its bottom a long diametrically-arranged narrow slot 4, against the ends of w-hich the words Empty and Full, or words of corresponding import, are placed. A bracket or arm 5, depending from the center of the lower face of the said cap, has pivoted to it a segment 6, the upper portion of which projects upward through the said slot 4 and is formed with a centrally-arranged index 7, which as the segment turns on its pivot sweeps through a segmental path and in one of its extreme p0- sitions stands against the word Empty,7 while in its other extreme position it stands against the word Fulh This segment is located at the upper end of a long arm 8, carrying at its lower end a float 9 of cork or Serial No. 23,699. (No model.)

other bouyant material, which fioats upon the surface of the oil in the fount 10, the top of which, as I may here remark, is furnished with a collar 11, over which the cap 2 tits, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When oil is introduced into the fount through the ordinary Iiller thereof, which is not shown, or through the opening into-Which the burner is set, the float is caused to lift, whereby the index 7 of the segment 6 will gradually be carried outward until when the fount is as full as it may be filled with safety the index reaches its extreme positionand stands against the word FulL Then as the oil is gradually exhausted by the burning of the lamp the iioat falls, with a corresponding movement of the index, from the word Full toward the word Empty. When the index reaches the WordEmpty,the oil is practically exhausted from the fount. In any of the intermediate positions of the index the amount of oil may be gaged with approximate accuracy by noting the position of the index between the Full and Empty points.

It will be seen that my device is of an extremely simple character, and it is as reliable in operation as simple.

It is apparent that in producing my invention some changes from the construction herein shown and described may be made. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to such construction, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I am aware, however, that, broadly speaking, it is old to apply to the top of a lamp-fount Van indicator provided -with an index operated by a swinging arm the lower or free end of which is provided with a oat which rises and falls with the oil contained within the fount. I do not, therefore, claim such a construction broadly.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a lamp-fount, of a cap applied thereto and having its top dished to form a concavity containing a diametrically-arranged slot, a bracket depending from the inner face of the top of the said cap, a seg- IOO ment pivoted to the said bracket, projecting specification in the presence of two subscribnpwardly through the Said slot, and furnished ing witnesses.

upon its upper edge with an index an arm connected with the segment at a point below WVILLIAM A' PENFIELD' its pivotal connection with the said bracket, Witnesses:

and a float carried by the Said arm. E. R. LEWIS,

In testimony whereof I have signed this W. A. HALL. 

